C5 suspension saved the day

[KevMayer]

This made me smile.

I collected some floor tiles for my kitchen.

The staff at the shop asked if I needed to make two journeys.

I loaded 10 boxes of big tiles plus adhesive and grout. As I loaded the suspension got lower and lower until the rear mud flaps were on the ground.

The two staff told me "you won't get very far like that mate".

I told them to wait a minute for the car to perform a special trick.

Sure enough, the pump kicked in and the C5 raised to normal ride height.

The two staff were amazed. They'd never seen anything like it

[myglaren]

I bet it was a smoother ride too, with all that weight in the back.
Mine was when I overloaded it with a heap of mdf.

[evilclive]

Though it's a better trick when it happens immediately, I was surprised to learn the family Montego had self levelling suspension some years ago. Loaded to the brim, we set off for Austria, a bit worried about how low it was at the back. Got out at the ferry, cue head scratching as it was all at the right height again

[Citroenmad]

I had exactly the same thing with my C5.

I had to go and collect lots of tiles for a friends bathroom, their 'normal' car wouldn't have coped, and so the C5 sat on its mudflaps until the boot was shut and up it came.

Just fantastic! Yet why don't all modern big Citroens have this? Its crazy, in Citroens attempt to draw in more buyers, they are boring me!

The new DS5 is really a C4, the current C5 only has self leveling on the top spec and the C6 is not made now.


About two years ago my dad was asked to use the Traction as a family friends main wedding car. The bride was a little on the large side, the car hit the floor when she got in, everyone looked round as if to say "has she broken it?". As soon as it started it pumped up and again the look of amazement was interesting.

Come on Citroen, keep going with the hydraulic Citroens

[Quackers]

I had exactly the same thing with my C5.


The new DS5 is really a C4, the current C5 only has self leveling on the top spec and the C6 is not made now.

The C6 is still listed on http://www.citroen.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for £40,000 ?

Was disgusted when i found out the new C5 is not hydropumatic on all versions, and the DS5 was such a missed opportunity to bring back an Activa

I am getting worried what the future holds for hydropumatic and Citroen, i have never owned a spring suspension car, and do not really want one.

[CitroJim]

I am getting worried what the future holds for hydropumatic and Citroën, i have never owned a spring suspension car, and do not really want one.

Not after you've had a hydraulic car, no...

Trouble is, until the great unwashed loose their fetish for rock-hard cars with painted-on tyres and demand once again comfort on the rapidly deteriorating roads of this fair isle there is no place for a hydrophenuatically suspended car. The great unwashed are unable to make the connection between handling and comfort that hydropneumatic brings and clearly, at the moment, Citroen and every body else are happy to give what is wanted. To use cart springs is cheaper for them and less hassle for the garagisti when they break. Fact is, for all of its advantages, hydropneumatics are complex, expensive, adds weight and needs a heavily skilled mechanic to look after it... The latter especially is a rare animal...

Until the public at large cries enough there will be no place for it. Remember that French cars were traditionally comfy because of the terrible roads in France. The situation is reversed today with us having the really bad roads and France being covered in billiard tables. The French don't need it and just because we do, more and more, well - that's tough...

It's one of the side effects of not having a British mass-market car maker any more that might make a car suitable for British Roads. We now have to put up with what we can get.

Interestingly, Julian Marsh, in his CCC Iconoclast column this month makes some similar points...

The point of the Activa has been lost Outstanding handling with comfort... It nearly does the impossible and with a bit of further development it would...

My advice is to hang on to a good Xantia for as long as you can... Our roads can only get worse...

[addo]

Do you blokes find the tail wagging the dog a little with some of these loads? At 70+MPH with 360kg of concrete mix behind the Xantia's rear axle, I found it required some extra concentration at times, mainly in reading the road crown.

What puts me off a C5 is basically that it offers nothing more of what I desire than a Xantia, except more youth. Gut feeling is that field repairs would be more limited as well.

[Citroenmad]

The C6 is still listed but as far as I know its only the ones which are left, no more are to be built. No doubt there is a bit of a field full of them somewhere. Don't forget what happened with some of them, some on 07 plates were found to be from the 2005 manufacture year. Mind, that was possibly Citroen getting a bit over excited at their new car and thought it would sell in bigger numbers so made more.

There are still some bad roads in France and I thought the C5 suited them perfectly. Though your very right Jim, a lot of their roads are so smooth and so quiet now.

I don't think ive ever had my Xantia really loaded up, I have the XM and C5s many times and have not found any difference in handling abilities. Perhaps if the rear tyres are underpressured for the extra weight it might be a bit wollowy. As our C5 estate always carries heavy loads I set the pressures to 36 front and 38 rear and I can't tell a difference between it being full or empty, apart from a better ride when its full.

Its a shame really and I can see Citroen going away from it totally before long.

Ive been thinking lately why do I have such a huge car, as day to day its only ever me or me and one other in the car. Though to go back to a normally sprung car would be very difficult, not only for ride but the other advantages I use it for too. Its also nice for when I do carry 4 or 5 people in the car and luggage that it does it admirably. What luxury!

Our eldest C5 SX is always bumping up and down farm lanes, often with lots of horse feed in the boot. Or its got a bike rack with three bikes on the back, 4 people inside and lugage and it does everything in its stride and comfort. We are thinking about changing that one at the moment, but it will be hard not to replace it with another, but newer, C5

C5s are great addo, I prefer them to Xantias for a daily car. I far prefer the driving position, there is more space, a bigger boot, more kit, its a better and quieter cruiser (though the Xantia is excellet) and yes, it does bring those few more modern touches. For simplicity then the Xantia wins as it doesnt have the comms2000 multiplexing, however really thats not a huge problem. Ive only had one problem with C5 multiplexing in over 3 years and a collective 110K miles in C5s.

As ever, 2.0HDi 110 8v in the S1 or 2.0HDi 138 16v in S2, are the ones to go for. Saying that the 1.6 is a pretty decent engine too, if regularily serviced.